Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

I often struggle seeing how God is using me or those around me. However, if I continually look at my life and my surroundings through Jesus' eyes and perspective, I will see myself, others and my situation with love, joy, peace and patience. -- Cliff Young

[Judy Harder]

Don't Judge on Appearances

I often struggle seeing how God is using me or those around me. However, if I continually look at my life and my surroundings through Jesus' eyes and perspective, I will see myself, others and my situation with love, joy, peace and patience. -- Cliff Young

[Judy Harder]

December 15, 2008
Longings of Christmas
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"Better one handful of tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind." 
Ecclesiastes 4:5 (NIV)

Friend to Friend
Ah, Christmas!  What a joyous time of the year!  What a busy time of the year!  What an expensive time of the year!  Yikes!

A family friend of ours is going through a tight financial season and is concerned about what he and his wife can afford to buy their children for Christmas.  He has been talking with his seven-year-old son about the spending limitations they are bound by, hoping that these talks will diminish the child's expectations of a lavish Christmas.  Regardless of the monetary dialog, his son is still determined to get an electronic toy that is very expensive. 

Over the past few weeks, this resolute child just could not stop talking about, longing for and thinking about this toy.  My friend was amused and surprised the other day when his naïve son burst into the room with excitement, exclaiming "Daddy!  Daddy!  I figured out a way!  I've figured out a way!  I can still get my toy and you won't have to buy it!  You won't have to spend your money!  I've decided to ask Santa for it!"

At times, we can long for something so desperately, that we just can't stop thinking about it.  The problem with me is that I'm often longing for vapors.  I want things that are neither eternal nor important in the grand scheme of things.  King Solomon referred to this in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes as "chasing after the wind."  It just seems that my flesh is constantly battling the God-seeker in me.  Can you relate?

At Christmas time, longings attack our contentment.  Whether they are longings of a material nature or emotional nature -- tangible or intangible.  Our desires are often heightened by the commercial status of this flesh-driven culture.  I'm compelled this year to pray specifically that the God-seeker in me would be strengthened.  I want to want Christ more.  I want a heart that is satisfied with Him.

There's an old hymn written by the late Charles Wesley that is perfect for both Christmas time and all year round: "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus."  It was the cry of those anticipating the arrival of a coming Messiah more than 2000 years ago and it remains our cry today as we celebrate the birth of baby Jesus and anticipate His return as our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee

Israel's Strength and Consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart

Born Thy people to deliver
Born a Child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now Thy gracious Kingdom bring

By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By Thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne

The purposed love-mission of Jesus wrapping Himself in flesh and clothing Himself in humanity was for us to be reconciled to the loving heart of God the Father.  Hope came as a babe in a manger and will be returning soon to take us home.   Now THAT is something to long for...

Let's Pray
Holy Father, thank You for loving me.  Thank You for making that extravagant journey from heaven to earth to reconcile me to God the Father.  As this Christmas season quickly approaches, empty my heart of longings that are not purposed for Your glory and replace them with longings for You.  Would You fortify the God-seeker in me with Your Holy Spirit so my wind-chasing will stop?  Please help me share the Hope of Christmas with my friends and family today.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Is there something you have been longing for that God may be calling you to lay aside?

Is there a sin in your life that needs to be confessed so you can be reconciled to the Father?

List three God-centered longings that you would like to possess, find a correlating scripture in your concordance for each one, look them up and write out those scriptures on a note card so you can have a handy reminder!

More from the Girlfriends
Have you gone Christmas caroling this year?  I haven't yet (because I am writing this well before you are reading it) but I plan to take my family and a few friends to a local retirement community to do just that!  Please join me.  Buckle up buttercup and get your carol on!  Grab some friends, your kids, your kid's friends, anyone with a pulse -- no matter the singing talent -- and go be a blessing in your community.  Be sure to take your smiles with you!

Feel like a little music right now? J To listen to Gwen's music, CLICK HERE! Gwen's CDs, book, and resources are available for sale at www.GwenSmith.net.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

December 16, 2008
The Gift of Forgiveness
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs." 1 Corinthians 13: 4-5 (NIV)

Friend to Friend
Sometimes the hardest thing to say is "I'm sorry", to admit that we have hurt someone.  The only thing that can be harder is to forgive those who have hurt us.  The story is told of a father and his teenage son who lived in Spain.  Over the years, their relationship had become strained.  In fact, the list of hurts grew so long that the son ran away from home.  The father searched for him, but after months of failure, made one last desperate effort by putting an ad in the local newspaper of Madrid.  "Dear Paco, meet me in front of the newspaper office at noon.  All is forgiven.  I love you. Your Father." The next day at noon, in front of the newspaper office, eight hundred Pacos showed up.  The reality is that we all need forgiveness and we all must learn how to forgive. 

I grew up in a small Texas town where we had moved the day after my father's funeral.  We were poor, living in what some would call a "shack" on the edge of town.  My amazing mother worked three jobs to support three children as well as my grandmother who lived with us.  Her main job was as a nurse in the hospital nursery where she took care of newborns. 

As a child, I was frequently sick with a cold, ear infection or the flu.  It seemed as if I was at the doctor's office almost every week during the winter.  We had very little money but we did have a family doctor who was a friend and colleague of my mother.  In fact, they worked side-by-side each day at the one and only hospital in town.  Knowing our financial circumstances, this doctor and his wife often asked my mom to baby-sit to earn extra money and since they had five children, I was often recruited to go with her as a backup. 

Over the years, this doctor often took care of our medical needs, charging us nothing.  Little did I know the high price I would have to pay. This doctor was my friend, a man I respected, and a man I trusted -- until the day that he molested me. The hurt, pain and betrayal were so great that I locked it away in some dark corner of my soul, refusing to admit it had ever happened.  I told no one. 

Fast forward twenty years to the time when I was happily married to Dan Southerland, a pastor and my best friend, and had two wonderful children. Our church was exploding in growth.  I had started traveling and speaking for women's conferences and retreats, and loved it!  Everything on the outside looked great, successful and very right but inside, the past slowly ate away at my very being until, one day, my world collapsed and I sank into a pit of clinical depression.  I was paralyzed emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually.  The simple tasks seemed like impossible mountains to climb.  Panic attacks became a daily event.  I stepped out of ministry and out of life as I had known it.

I began to uncover the wounds I had so desperately tried to ignore most of my life.  Instead of dealing with those wounds, I kept insanely busy in a vain attempt to earn God's favor and the approval of others.  My worth seemed to rest on the foundation of doing, instead of being.  I soon discovered that one of the main reasons I had fallen into that pit was because I refused to face and deal with the pain of my past, but with the help of a loving husband, a Christian psychiatrist and a brilliant family doctor, I began to make slow but steady progress in climbing out of that dark, slimy pit.  Then, I remembered. 

I remembered that day in the doctor's office. I remembered it all and when that awful memory slammed into my life, I fell apart. I hated that man. I wanted him to pay for what he had done to me. I wanted him to hurt like I had been hurt.  I also knew that somehow, I had to let my pain go and forgive him, or I would be trapped for the rest of my life.  God and I began to work through every painful, horrifying moment of that memory. 

Months passed, and the day came when Dan asked me to speak for the five worship services of our church. When I asked him what the topic was, he smiled and simply said, "Forgiveness." I knew what God was up to and being the mature and godly woman that I was, I was furious! "That man does not deserve forgiveness, Lord" I ranted.  My Father whispered, "Neither do you, child."  I was still angry.  "Lord, he is the one that hurt me," I cried.  "Just as you have hurt me," He responded. I wasn't through. "I think it is only fair for me to wait for him to make the first move.  And then he needs to come crawling on his hands and knees, begging for my forgiveness!"  In the silence, I heard the words of the Great Physician, a voice I have come to love so much, "Aren't you glad I didn't wait for you to come to me?" 

I suddenly realized I had a choice to make.  I could choose to hang on to my anger and bitterness, making him my jailer, or I could choose to forgive him and set myself free!  But I just couldn't forgive him on my own, so I did what David did.  I cried out to God.

Psalm 40:1-3a (NIV) "I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit; out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God."

As I wrestled with the choice to forgive, I learned several life-changing truths:

If we make the choice to forgive, God will supply the forgiveness.   
There should be no limit to our forgiveness because there is no limit to His.   
Forgiveness is not a feeling or an emotion.  Forgiveness is a deliberate choice.   
Forgiveness is our greatest need and God's greatest gift.   
While we cannot change the past, we can change our response to the past and dictate the power it has over us.  If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator.  If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent a scientist, but because our greatest need was and is forgiveness, God sent a Savior, Jesus Christ, who is calling us all to a higher place, a place of forgiveness.  The choice is ours to make.  Today, we can choose freedom by choosing to forgive. 

Let's Pray
Father, it is not within my power to forgive, but it is within my power to choose forgiveness.  Right now, I surrender my pain and hurt to You.  I choose to forgive as You have forgiven me. 

In Jesus' name, I pray
Amen

Now It's Your Turn
For some reason, the holidays seem to intensify old wounds and resurrect old hurts. Examine your heart for wounds that have not healed.  Decide today to deal with the pain of the past.  Choose to give the gift of forgiveness and receive God's healing and restoration in return. 

More From The Girlfriends
I know how hard it is to forgive the unforgivable.  In fact, it is impossible -- outside of God's supernatural strength and power.  To hear the miracle of forgiveness at work in my life, download the MP3 or grab a copy of the CD, The Power of Forgiveness.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

December 17, 2008
Ready for Christmas?
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matthew 3:2 NIV)

Friend to Friend

It seems like everywhere you go during the month of December people ask the same question.  At the grocery checkout counter - "Are you ready for Christmas?"  At the bank drive through window - "Are you ready for Christmas?"  At the doctor's office - "Are you ready for Christmas?"

I think the answer to that question depends on how you define "ready." Let me ask you this question:  "Are you ready for Jesus?"  Now that puts the idea of being ready in a whole different Christmas light, doesn't it?

John the Baptist was sent by God to get the people ready to meet Jesus. Here's what Matthew had to say about him:

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."  This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

                        "A voice of one calling in the desert,
                        'Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight paths for him.'"...

"People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River." Matthew 3:1-3, 5-6).

We don't like the words "repent" or "repentance" very much.  They mean "to make a radical change in one's life, to turn and go in the opposite direction from sin (another word we're not too fond of today) to God".  Repentance involves an element of grief over the way we have lived apart from God and a decision to run toward the Father. That was God's idea of the way to prepare for Christ's arrival in the book of Matthew, and it is still God's idea of preparing to worship Him today.

Let's reflect for a moment on the words to this poem and then answer the question, "Are you ready for Christmas?"

"Ready for Christmas," she said with a sigh
As she gave a last touch to the gifts piled high...
Then wearily sat for a moment AND READ
Til soon, very soon, she was nodding her head.
Then quietly spoke a voice in her dream,
"Ready for Christmas, what do you mean?"
She woke with a start and a cry of despair.
"There's so little time and I've still to prepare.
Oh, Father!  Forgive me, I see what You mean!
Yes, more than the giving of gifts and a tree. 
It's the heart swept clean that He wanted to see,
A heart that is free from bitterness and sin.
So be ready for Christmas - and ready for Him. 

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, I want to be ready for Jesus today and everyday.  I come to You now in repentance for my sins: my sin of selfishness, stubbornness, and rebellion.  I turn from my self-centeredness today and commit to keep my focus on You.  God, I cannot do this on my own.  I am not able.  So I ask that you fill me with the power of Your Holy Spirit Who empowers me to obey.  Thank You that You have given me every thing I need for a life of godliness and truth.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 

In Jesus' Name,
Amen

Now It's Your Turn
What do you think it means to be "ready for Christmas?"

What do you think it means to be ready for Jesus?

Go back and read the parable of the ten virgins in Matthews 25:1-13. Notice the difference between the five who were ready and the five who were not.  Which group more resembles your readiness for Christ?

More from the Girlfriends:
It is hard not to get caught up in the pre-Christmas swirl of activity and to lose focus of what's important.  If you would like ways to keep Jesus the focus of your holiday season, you'll love Celebrating a Christ Centered Christmas by Sharon Jaynes.  It's packed with helpful ideas and inspiration.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

December 18, 2008
Mistakes or Opportunities?
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
"We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 (HCSB) 

Friend to Friend
I am sure you have heard the story of Ivory soap, the "soap that floats".  However, it was not always that way. Years ago, this soap was just another brand among many until a factory foreman made a mistake. He left a fresh batch of soap in the cooking vat and went to lunch. When he was late getting back and the soap had overcooked, the foreman frantically examined the burned soap. It seemed to clean the same. The only difference he could see was in the weight. The burned soap was just lighter. He could either report the mistake and risk being fired, or he could make the best of it and ship the soap out as if nothing had happened. He shipped it out.  The results surprised everyone.  Instead of complaints, the company was deluged with orders for this new "floating soap" and the foreman was promoted. 

God works the same way, taking our mistakes, our sins and bringing good out of them. Paul said it well in Romans 8:28, "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose." (HCSB)  If we let Him, God will use the pain of our sin and the results of our mistakes as the foundation upon which he can build a new life and a more effective ministry.

God works through our mistakes, knowing there is strength in pain that can be gained no other way. God does not eliminate mistakes but he does step into the midst of the mistakes we bring to him. At our invitation, God's very presence fills those mistakes with power and fresh hope, redeeming them for new truth and insight.  God is not committed to our comfort, but he is committed to our character, to making us more like Jesus, and he will use every part of our life to make it happen. God does not waste a single experience and there are no "scraps" of life to be thrown away!  He uses even our mistakes for our good.

1.  God uses mistakes to direct us.  Some of my biggest mistakes have yielded the most powerful lessons in my life, pointing me in a new direction or revealing an area that needs change. As the writer of Proverbs explains, "Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways."  Proverbs 20:30 (NLT)

2.  God uses mistakes to inspect us.  People are like tea bags.  If you want to know what is really inside, just drop them into hot water! How we respond to mistakes, problems and sin tests the strength and reality of our faith. James writes, "Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow."  James 1:2-3 (NLT)

3.  God uses mistakes to correct us.  Some lessons simply cannot be learned in the light; they are wrapped in the darkness of pain and defeat.  I can remember when our daughter, Danna, was a toddler with a fascination for electric outlets.  I repeatedly pointed to each outlet in our home and firmly said, "No! No!"  It was not until she stuck an object into one of those outlets, burning her little finger that she learned the lesson and changed her behavior.  In fact, she hasn't repeated that mistake in twenty two years!  We would be wise to choose the attitude of the psalmist, "It was good that I had to suffer in order to learn your laws. The teachings [that come] from your mouth are worth more to me than thousands in gold or silver."  Psalm 119:71-72 (GNT)

4.  God uses mistakes to protect us.  A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents us from being harmed by something more serious. Several years ago, a family friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem and seemed like a huge mistake - but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when his former management's illegal actions were eventually discovered. "You planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good..." Genesis 50:20 (Message)

5.  God uses mistakes to perfect us.  When responded to correctly, mistakes and problems are character builders.  Our relationship to God and our character are the only two things we are going to take with us into eternity. The apostle Paul warns, "There's more (trouble) to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we are hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next." Romans 5:3-4 (Message) 

God is at work in us - even in our mistakes -- even when we do not recognize Him or understand His process.  Someone once said, "Success can be measured not only in achievements, but in lessons learned, lives touched and moments shared along the way." 

While living in South Florida, I considered hurricanes to be mistakes of nature. However, I soon discovered that hurricanes are necessary to maintain a balance in the environment. We all know the devastation these monstrous storms can cause, yet scientists tell us that hurricanes are also tremendously valuable because they reduce a large percentage of the oppressive heat that builds up at the equator. In fact, hurricanes are indirectly responsible for much of the rainfall in North and South America. Meteorologists no longer use cloud-seeding techniques to prevent hurricanes from being formed because they are convinced that hurricanes actually do more good than harm.

Take a closer look at your mistakes. Have they become an albatross around your neck, constantly reminding you of your failure and inadequacy?   Do past mistakes keep you from stepping out in faith today?  It is time to strain each failure through a new God-given perspective for the valuable nuggets of truth and the treasures that the darkness holds. 

Isaiah 45:3 promises, "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name."

Let's Pray
Father, I am tired of living in the failure of my mistakes.  Today, I admit those wrong choices, ask Your forgiveness and choose to see them through Your eyes.  Please help me learn the lessons each mistake holds and keep me strong so that I will not fall into the same old wrong patterns of behavior again.  Thank You that even my mistakes are treasures in Your hands. 

In Jesus' name, I pray
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
What one mistake has paralyzed your life?  No matter where you go or what you do, are you haunted by that wrong decision?  Aren't you ready to be free from that prison of defeat?  God is ready to set you free.  Face and admit your mistake.  Ask for God's forgiveness, the forgiveness of anyone you have hurt and then forgive yourself.  Learn the lesson and let God use it for good in your life.

More From The Girlfriends
The Christmas season often magnifies old hurts and brings up painful memories.  And Satan stands in the shadows, laughing.  Now is the time to silence him.  Today is the day for freedom and healing.  Don't waste another moment in that prison of guilt.  God's forgiveness will set you free.  If you need help in learning how to discover and live out that forgiveness, grab a copy of my CD or download the MP3, The Power of Forgiveness.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

December 19, 2008
The Day I Became a Sheep
Sharon Jaynes



Today's Truth
"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." (Luke 2:15 NIV)

Friend to Friend
Today I want to share with you a story that I wrote a few years ago.  I tried to imagine what it would have been like to be a shepherd visiting Jesus at His birth.  For just a moment, I want you to pretend that you are reading a letter that one of the shepherds wrote to his brother, Mathias.

Dear Mathias:

As I am writing you this letter, my hand is still a bit shaky.  I'm not sure it will ever stop.  But I must tell you about an incredible experience that happened to Matthew, Simeon, Levi, and me, two weeks ago.  As usual, we were watching our sheep on a hillside east of Bethlehem.  I was on the night watch and the others were sleeping. There was something unusual about the sky that night.  I can't explain it, really.  Like heat reflecting off the desert sand, the stars seemed to be jockeying into place, fidgeting and restless in their usual stayed positions.  Diamonds danced on the inky backdrop, rather than standing sure and still.  Even the sheep seemed to notice the heavenly mirage.

Then it happened.  As if a curtain was pulled back, I saw what was stirring the stars....angels!  Yes, angels, angels, everywhere.  Immediately, the others awoke to the celestial lights, flapping of wings and the resonation of indistinguishable singing.

At first, only one spoke. "Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Then, the curtain was drawn back even more and the sky was filled with angels!  "Glory to God in the highest!" they sang, "and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests."

The flapping of their wings stirred the air, whipped our hair, and blew our tunics in all directions.  Amazingly, the sheep were calm during this majestic occurrence.  It was almost as if this were nothing unusual happening. Perhaps this was not the first time they had seen an angel.  Who knows?  We, on the other hand, were awestruck.  Tears streamed down our dusty cheeks. We fell to our knees, marveling at the beauty of heaven displayed before us.

Then quietly and slowly, the curtain returned and the angels were no more.  We rose to our feet and began to run in the direction of Bethlehem to see this babe.  How did we know where to go? 

Mathias, the only way I know how to explain it is to think of my relationship to my sheep.  When I am grazing in a field with several of my friends and their flocks, our sheep get all mixed together.  Sometimes five different flocks can be mingled together at one time.  But as soon as I call to my sheep, they separate from the others and follow me home.  They know my voice.  Each and every one of them can distinguish the voice of their shepherd and they know whom to follow.

That's how it was that night.  It was as if a shepherd had called my name.  I knew his voice and he called me out from among all the rest.

Where did we go?  To a palace?  To a temple?  To a stately manor?  No, we went to a stable.  But isn't that where a shepherd would call his sheep?  To a stable?

What did we see?  A burning bush like our ancestor, Moses?  Writing on the wall?  A vision?  No.  We saw a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger -- just like the angel had said.  He didn't speak, but somehow he called our names.  He is the Christ, Mathias.  The one of which the prophets spoke.

Do you remember the prophet Isaiah's words? "He tends his flock like a shepherd; he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young."  When I saw the babe (who later his parents told me was named Jesus), I knew this was the one of whom the prophet spoke.  And didn't the prophet Micah say the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem?  It all makes sense to me now, and yet it is still a mystery.

Why me?  Why did God choose to send the angels to announce the Savior's birth to me -- a lowly shepherd?  I don't know the answer to that, my friend.  All I know is that one starry night, I was a shepherd.  And then God spoke my name and I became a sheep.  Now, my friend, God is calling your name as well. 

I don't know what will become of this baby in the manger, but I do know this...the world will never be the same again -- nor will I.

Shalom,
Your brother, the sheep.
©Sharon Jaynes

The Shepherd became a Sheep
By Sharon Jaynes

The angels appeared and called to me
"Be not afraid, dear one.
For you are now a lowly sheep
For you God sent His Son."

"Go to the babe and see him there
We will lead the way. 
The shepherd has chosen you -- a sheep
To celebrate this day."

We ran and saw the baby there.
I'll never be the same.
He raised his eyes, said not a word
And yet he spoke my name.

Years have passed and now I know
This babe became a man.
He lived and died and rose again
And now I understand.

"Follow me," Jesus said
"And I will lead the way."
"My sheep listen, know my voice
And with me they will stay."

I was a shepherd, to be sure.
My sheep slept at my feet
But on that night the babe was born.
I became a sheep.
©Sharon Jaynes

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, I am so glad that you sent the angels to common man to proclaim the Savior's birth to lowly shepherds.  And I am so glad that you looked down from heaven and chose to announce the Savior's birth to a common girl -- me.  Thank you for sending a Shepherd for me -- one of Your sheep.

In Jesus' Name, Amen 

Now It's Your Turn
The shepherds were not the only ones excited about Jesus' birth.  Why not try your hand at some creative writing.  Imagine that you are one of the wise men (wise women).  Try writing a letter to one of your family members after visiting Jesus and delivering your gift.

More From The Girlfriends
It is hard not to get caught up in the pre-Christmas swirl of activity and to lose focus of what's important.  If you would like ways to keep Jesus the focus of your holiday season, you'll love Celebrating a Christ Centered Christmas by Sharon Jaynes.  It's packed with helpful ideas and inspiration.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

December 22, 2008
Hang on!
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters." (Psalm 18:16, NIV)

Friend to Friend
Today, I'd like to encourage those among us who are struggling.  Whether you are feeling the squeezes of a strained economy, the aches of a broken marriage, or the difficulties of an illness, God longs to sustain you in the storm. When all else fails, all that's required of us is that we just hang on to our faith.

Now, I'm talking directly to you. Whatever your circumstances...no wound of life is too infected for God to heal. No problem is too difficult for God to solve. No sin is too abominable for God to forgive. No sickness is beyond His ability to make well. He is able. I don't know the shattered matters of your life, but God does. He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond all you can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Hang on!

If you are ready to walk out on your husband—God loves you and is able to heal your marriage. Hang on!

If your child is wild—God loves you and is able to change his/her heart. Hang on!

If you are barraged by addiction—God loves you and wants to satisfy your every craving. Hang on!

If you are chained by financial burdens—God loves you and will supply all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. Hang on!

If you are a widow who feels abandoned—God loves you and will never leave your side. Hang on!

If you are a single mother—God loves you and is the perfect Father for your fatherless children. Hang on!

If you are battling illness—God loves you, is familiar with suffering, and is able to heal you. Hang on!

If you are single and long to be cherished by a man—God loves you and sees you as perfectly beautiful in Christ. Trust His plan. Hang on!

If you feel worthless and damaged—God loves you and considers you precious and valuable. Hang on!

If you are consumed by guilt—God loves you, knows you, and paid for that sin on the cross.

Release it to His hands...be free!

Hang on to Jesus, friend. Hang on to Jesus. "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy" (Job 8:21). I know from personal experience that in the painful, tear-filled days, God is still good and can still be trusted. I know He is faithful. I've witnessed His strength in my weakness. I've felt His comfort in times of loss. And though we aren't always kept from experiencing shattered matters, we never have to endure them alone.

Take comfort that He knows every issue on your heart and is able to shoulder your burdens. Your challenges do not fall outside the scope of God's ability to intervene. God is mysterious, He is powerful, and He is able! When you lift your eyes from your situation and fix them on your Savior, you will find peace in the pain and strength in the struggle.

Let's Pray
Holy Father, I need to hang on to you today. I'm comforted that You know every issue on my heart and You are able to shoulder my burdens. I bring them to you now. Thank You for being able. I love you so much.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Were you on the list? Which woman are you?

God longs to be glorified IN your circumstances. Write three things you can do to bring glory to God in your circumstances and then journal those possibilities.

David said to the Lord: "Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." (Psalm 32:6-7) Run to God as your hiding place.

More from the Girlfriends
Each of us struggle through issues in life.  Sharon, Mary and I are not excluded from challenging circumstances.  We're in the trenches with you. Let's make a commitment as girlfriends right now. Let's commit to struggling well! The best thing we can do is to turn to God.  He said that when we seek Him that we will find Him. Spend a few moments in prayer right now. Worship the Lord for who He is and ask God to be strong in your weakness. Today's devotion is an excerpt from Gwen's book, Broken Into Beautiful. To order the book, please CLICK HERE. 

To listen to some of Gwen's music, CLICK HERE!

Gwen Smith is a worship artist, songwriter, speaker, and author. For more information, visit her website at: www.gwensmith.net.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

December 23, 2008
Singing the Gospel
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord.'" (Luke 10:10-11 NIV)

Friend to Friend
I love hearing children sing Christmas carols!  One little girl was heard singing that the shepherds were "washing their socks by night!"  When my son was four years old, I overheard him singing "O Holy Night" in his best vibrato voice.  I chuckled as I heard him boom, "Long lay the world in sin and ever whining!"  Sin and error pining wasn't in his vocabulary, but he definitely understood the concept of ever whining.

When I became a Christian, the words to familiar Christmas carols began jumping off the pages of the hymnal.  It seems the gospel was right there in the words to the carols, and I had missed it before.  I began to see what God had done in my life in the words of Silent Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.

For example, let's look at the words to Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.  First, look at all those exclamation marks in the song! These angels must have been very excited, and no wonder! They were proclaiming the birth of Jesus, the "newborn King."

The second line says, "Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled."  Some people are not too crazy about the word "sinner."  Originally, it was an archery term that meant the distance between the bull's-eye and where the arrow landed on the target. Therefore, "sin" meant "to miss the perfect mark."  And it still means that today.  Sin means to miss the mark of God's perfection.  The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

And because of that sin, we have been separated from God.  The first verse of Hark the Herald Angels Sing tells us WHY Jesus came - to reconcile or join us back together with God.  It also tells us TO WHOM Jesus came - "to all nations."  No wonder the angels were so excited!

Verse 1 tells us why Jesus came.  Verse 2 tells us WHO He was.  He is adored in heaven.  He is the everlasting Lord.  He is the offspring of a Virgin's womb.  He is God with flesh and bones.  He is Deity.  He is Emmanuel - God with us.

Verse 3 tells us HOW the Christ child made eternal life available to all mankind. He laid aside His glorious heavenly position, came to earth as a man, and gave His life so that we could experience a second birth and live eternally in heaven.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing tells us WHY Jesus came, WHO He was, and HOW He would accomplish His purposes to reconcile a lost world to God.  That's the gospel, and it's all packed into one Christmas Carol.

As you sing the familiar Christmas Carols this holiday, season, look for the gospel among the verses and let the melody of the gospel fill your heart.

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you so much for the men and women who have gone before us to pen the words to the carols we sing today.  I pray that as Christians sing the familiar words, You will stir them to praise You afresh.  I pray for those who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior.  I pray that as they sing the words to carols, or even hear them on the radio, they will recognize the gospel and understand that Jesus came as the Babe in the manger to die on the cross...because of His great love for them.  I pray that they will hear the gospel and embrace the message.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen

Now It's Your Turn
Pretend that you did not have a Bible handy, but only a hymnal or book of Christmas carols.  Could you explain the gospel through the words in the songs?  Why not give it a try.

If you have children, consider using a hymnal for a family devotion, explaining the meaning to various Christmas songs.

More From The Girlfriends
It is hard not to get caught up in the pre-Christmas swirl of activity and to lose focus of what's important.  If you would like ways to keep Jesus the focus of your holiday season, you'll love Celebrating a Christ Centered Christmas by Sharon Jaynes.  It's packed with helpful ideas and inspiration.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

December 24, 2008
Silent Night
Sharon Jaynes


Today's Truth
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6 NIV)

Friend to Friend
Tomorrow is Christmas Day. I imagine if you're like most of us, you are still scurrying about with last minute Christmas preparations.  What do you think the angels were doing on that first Christmas Eve?  Do you think the heavenly host had one last choir practice before their concert on the hillside? Do you think God was making sure that everyone was in their proper places on the kingdom stage before the curtain rose on the grandest drama of all time? Do you think the Holy Spirit was hovering low over the entire world, stirring the hearts of men and women to receive the greatest gift of all?

I'm not sure what was happening in the heavenly realm the night before Jesus was born.  But I do know that my heart is aglow with the joy that tomorrow we celebrate Jesus' birth once again.

Perhaps you have sung Christmas carols hundreds of times in your life, but today, I encourage you to pause and read the words to one of my favorites as if you are seeing them for the first time.  Read slowly.  Ponder the words. "Glories stream from heaven afar"...picture it. "With the dawn of redeeming grace"...savor it.  "Christ the Savior it born"...celebrate it.

Silent night, holy night
All is calm all is bright
'Round yon virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, My heart quietly waits in anticipation of the grand celebration that tomorrow brings.  Thank You for the gift of Your Son.  Thank You for redeeming grace.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen

The Girlfriends in God, Mary, Sharon, and Gwen, pray that you will have a joy-filled Christmas Day celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  We love you!

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com